Boating books reviews: Down East Intrique

Shiver Hitch

The third in a series of nautical mysteries by Linda Greenlaw, Shiver Hitch chronicles the escapades of Jane Bunker, an ex-Miami homicide detective who moves back to Maine to become a marine insurance investigator. The book opens as Bunker is investigating the scene of a house fire on Acadia Island, where she discovers a badly burned body. It turns out the body belongs to the house’s owner, who Bunker discovers is one of the most despised women on the island. As Bunker digs into the investigation, she becomes embroiled in a plot thick with convicted felons, a real estate scam and conflicts between the island’s locals and summer visitors. (Minotaur Books, $25)

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American Fire Boats

Fire On Board!

Fireboats are the unsung heroes of the American waterfront, having saved vast swaths of waterfront and thousands of vessels. In American Fireboats: The History of Waterborne Firefighting and Rescue in America, retired Milwaukee firefighter Wayne Mutza traces not only the evolution of these vessels, but also the heroic efforts and proud traditions of maritime firefighting. Packed with photos dating from 1803, the book documents everything from battleship-size fireboats to small waterjetpowered models, as well as propulsion and firefighting technologies. The book also includes historical accounts of colossal fires that these boats fought. (Schiffer Publishing, $50)

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Rogue Waves

The Sea Goes Rogue

Ever wonder about the mechanics behind rogue waves and how they become potential ship-sinkers? Rogue Waves: Anatomy of a Monster, by Michel Olagnon dissects rogue waves using anecdotes, historical reports, photos and paintings, and scientific ocean data. A naval engineer, Olagnon has studied years’ worth of wave data collected from North Sea oil rigs and learned that rogue waves are not as uncommon as once thought. He objectively uses the data to explain how mariners can understand and prepare for this natural phenomenon. Other types of waves, such as those caused by earthquakes, are also explained. (Bloomsbury, $30)

Whether it’s a beautiful varnished mahogany runabout
cutting across a glassy lake or a sleek center console taking on a tumultuous inlet, Chris-Craft boats have an unmistakable look and impeccable style, in large part because the builder has been refining its designs for 144 years.

With masts reaching high into the sky and carrying
more canvas than any boat their size should, Chesapeake Bay log canoes require a hefty crew perched outboard on long boards to keep them balanced and upright. Watching crews manhandle these graceful, overpowered vessels is a summer Eastern Shore tradition.